Seto Kaiba x Reader (OC)
by Ellerosa
Summary: Seto Kaiba is such a hard man to love. He's arrogant, cold, and worst of all, oblivious to the workings of the female heart. Will this jeopardise his relationship? Will he even care? I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh btw...


I do not, unfortunately, own Yu-Gi-Oh...or Seto Kaiba. Damn...

Seto Kaiba was not an easy man to love; Riko had known that from the minute she had started loving him. His heart was stone cold, only to be warmed by Mokuba and, for a year and a half now, her. Yet still there were times when Seto wouldn't even look at her or blow her off as if she was just another business associate scavenging for his money. But she was happy to live with that, because she knew that to deprive herself of Seto would be to deprive herself of happiness.

But as she sat across from Seto at the dining table, Mokuba to her left, she felt another dagger pierce her heart. He hadn't even spoken to her since he'd returned home a few hours ago. Seto had walked in, greeted Mokuba as the latter clung to him, and completely ignore Riko. He'd waltzed straight past her to the staircase with barely a glance, and now as they ate together, she still hadn't been granted the courtesy. Had she done something wrong – something that had upset him?

"How was work today, Seto?" Mokuba broke the uncomfortable silence. Riko smiled and put a piece of the delicious chicken in her mouth whilst she waited for Seto to answer.

"The same as always," he said. "Except the mutt visited today with his sister. He came groveling for money for Serenity's eye surgery."

Riko was surprised that Joey had come groveling to Seto in the first place. She had thought his pride to be too great to ever allow the humiliation of begging Seto Kaiba for money.

"Did you kick his butt?" Mokuba asked excitedly. He was a young boy of ten: any sort of action was appealing to him, no matter the moral consequences. Seto, however, shook his head.

"I allowed him the money. Serenity doesn't deserve to suffer because of my feud with her mutt of a brother."

Riko almost choked on her chicken upon hearing of Seto's uncharacteristically benevolent actions. If she wasn't suspicious before, she was suspicious now. Seto never gave his money to anyone other than those he _loved_. Did he love Serenity? Was that the reason he was being so aloof with Riko?

"That was kind," she commented with a warm smile. Still, Seto did not look at her. Instead, he turned to his food and began eating again. Riko's smile faded and she struggled to maintain her calm exterior, when in truth her lip was quivering and tears pricked at her eyes.

"Riko, what's wrong?" Mokuba's small voice enquired gently. She mentally chastised herself for allowing her expression for slip from its ever-happy appearance around the infamously observant young Kaiba. For the first time, she earned the gaze of Seto's blue eyes.

"Damn you Mokuba! Why do you have to be so damned observant?" she exploded with fits of tears, sobs and unconvincing laughter. She cupped her hands over her face to hide the tears.

"Don't use that language around my brother. It's unfitting for a lady," Seto said. Riko growled; of course the only time he spoke to her would be to chastise her! She stood abruptly, pushed her chair from the table and slammed her hands down on it. Mokuba jumped and cowered away from her. Riko's glare surpassed that of his brother's most intimidating looks. She literally burned red with fury as she pulled her lips over her teeth and hissed at Seto.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do! I have to put up with your rudeness everyday and somehow – I have no idea why – _still_ manage to love you!"

Seto leveled her gaze easily; he was as unfazed at her anger as he was at Joey Wheeler's. She wasn't, after all, a particularly intimidating person. But she did have a point. He hadn't been the nicest person to her, particularly today when he had failed to greet her when he arrived home.

"What is it you want me to do? Apologize?" Seto replied arrogantly. Riko was fuming now. Had he still not grasped the fact that she was angry? Perhaps he found her to be amusing, instead.

Riko heaved a sigh and slid her hands from the table. Her gaze softened as it turned downwards and her shoulders slumped forward, defeated. She had a temper, yes, but she was also a pushover, especially when it came to Seto. She hated yelling at him, she hated the tension between them. She could never be angry with him for long.

"Why did you give Joey the money?" she asked. Her voice was soft, hollow, and Seto was confused as to her change in mood. Mokuba, who had been sufficiently frightened, relaxed a little and raised his sad gaze to Riko's broken form.

"I told you, I don't think Serenity-" Seto continued ruthlessly, but she cut him off with an impatient shake of her head.

"No. Why did you _really_ lend him the money? You would never do that for anyone."

Seto was still lost as to her point. Why did the money that he had given to Joey matter so much? He thought that she would have been happy knowing that he had done the very thing that she had preached to him. 'Do charitable things' he specifically remembered her saying.

"I'd do it for you and for Mokuba," Seto objected. Riko sighed in exasperation; when it came to interrogating Seto, it was near impossible. She shook her head and took a step away from the table.

"I'm going upstairs. Good night Mokuba," she deliberately turned to the younger Kaiba and placed a gentle kiss upon his head. He muttered a 'good night' as well and watched her leave with a heavy heart. He sympathized with her, really. He was privileged to have a permanent place in his brother's heart, but she had to work for her place there. Little did she know that her name had already been inked into Seto's heart for some time now.

"What's wrong with Riko?" Seto asked his brother after he was sure she was out of hearing range. Mokuba cocked his head at Seto's question, marveling at the latter's ignorance.

"Seto," Mokuba began with a shake of his head, "she thinks you gave Joey the money because you love Serenity."

Seto froze, comprehending the absurdity that Riko had conjured as an explanation for his actions. Why on earth would he _love_ the sister of that mutt?

"Why would she think that?"

Mokuba stared over the table at his brother. Had Riko's explosion not been enough to trigger some sort of understanding in Seto? She had blatantly said that Seto wouldn't give his money to just anyone, implying that Serenity was of some worth to him. What's worse, Seto confirmed it by saying that he'd do it for Riko and Mokuba – those he _cared_ about.

An expression of realization bloomed onto Seto's face as Mokuba explained. So Riko thought that he loved Serenity, which was not completely unjustified given Mokuba's explanation and the way Seto had been treating her lately.

"What do you suppose I do about it?" Seto resorted back to his business-like demeanor and scooped another piece of chicken into his mouth nonchalantly. Mokuba just about face-palmed.

"Go up there and clear it up with her! Tell her you love her and explain exactly _why_ you gave Joey the money," he replied. Seto huffed, but nodded nonetheless. He was going to have to make and effort if he didn't want to lose Riko.

A knock sounded at the door to Riko and Seto's bedroom, and the former, who had curled herself into a ball beneath the sheets on their bed, moaned agitatedly. It was Seto, she was sure, come to patronize her further. The door creaked open and Seto stepped through, spying the human-shaped ball beneath the covers of their bed. He briefly smiled at the sight; she was too cute like this. But he reminded himself of his purpose and quickly smothered the smile. He proceeded towards the bed and perched on the side of it, gazing at Riko's hidden form.

"Riko?" he called. Another moan erupted from beneath the sheets. He leant down and peeled away the covers, revealing Riko in the fetal position lying in a pool of her tears.

"What is it?" she snapped. Seto placed his hand gently on her arm and stroked it tenderly. She squirmed away from him, but he could tell the effect the small gesture had had on her. She would thaw to him soon.

"I gave Joey the money because I felt it was time I followed your advice and do something _charitable_." Riko flinched, remembering her own words. "I don't love Serenity; she's the sister of that damned mutt for God's sake…" Seto cleared his throat and continued, "I love you."

Riko shifted on the bed and gazed up at him, her eyes reddened from tears. She pondered his explanation and immediately flushed from embarrassment. She should have known that Seto didn't love Serenity – deep down in her heart she had known it. But she enjoyed Seto's present tenderness, and in that way, did not regret her actions. She rose to sit before him and gazed genuinely at him.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, taking one of Seto's hands in her own. He smiled gently and caressed her cheek with his other hand.

"I know," he said, and Riko punched him. Hard.


End file.
